Blogs

The Bible is a story, and Joshua is a small part of that story. This is a story that’s largely about redemption. God created, it was ruined, and he sets out to fix (or redeem) his creation. But this is also a story about extreme faithfulness. God remains faithful to people that betrayed him, he…

After teaching his parables, many people had questions and wanted validation of his identity. They wanted to know where his authority had come from. Instead of acceptance, he encountered repeated instances of rejection and unbelief. As followers of Christ, the foundation of our faith is belief in Jesus as the Son of God, but we…

As Jesus continued to teach in parables, he begins discussing weed, mustard and leaven. These may seem like odd things to compare a Kingdom to, but Jesus was teaching about how the Kingdom is integrated into the world, how we are to interact with the world. What does it look like for Christ followers to…

In Matthew 13, Jesus begins teaching in parables. Parables are simple stories that demonstrate truths about the kingdom of God. The parables of the sower, the first in this series of parables, is focused on the types of soil. As you prepare for Sunday, read the passage and ask yourself, what kind of soil am…

In Matthew 12, Jesus challenges the Pharisees and declares to them that the sign of Jonah is the only sign that they will receive, as sign that they and their forefathers rejected. As you look forward to gathering this Sunday, pray and ask God to reveal areas of your life where you have ignored God’s…

Matthew 11 calls us to consider who Jesus is and to repent of who we want him to be instead. Who is Jesus to you? Is he your Messiah? Your master? Or is he just a teacher who lived and died. Is he a mere miracle worker? Or is he the one who shows you…

Christ told the apostles that they would experience persecution and opposition as they spread the good news of the coming Kingdom. This is still true today as Christians all over the world are killed and their homes are burned because they profess to be Christ followers. In the US, we are privileged to not experience…

This Sunday, we will look at Matthew’s account of the commissioning of the apostles. They were given authority to go into the world and spread the Gospel in word and deed. Two thousand years later, how does this apply to the church? That and more is what we’ll explore this Sunday. Liturgy for Corporate Worship:…

Jesus’ authority is on full display in this week’s sermon text. Jesus calls Matthew, the Publican, he heals a paralytic, he heals a demoniac and raises a woman from the dead. The heart of this passage is that Jesus has incredible authority and with that authority he calls for mercy! Worshipping Jesus, then, should give…

Matthew begins the next section of his Gospel detailing the redemptive work that Jesus accomplished among the crowds. He healed many diseases, discussed judgement and taught on the cost of discipleship. As you prepare for Sunday, consider this question: What does it cost you to follow Jesus? Liturgy for Corporate Worship: Psalm 103:1-8 What a…

“Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will be saved.” This week’s passage of scripture is going to challenge our ideas of salvation. It is very easy to slip into legalism or into a liberty that is free of obeying the commands of Christ. This week, take some time to reflect on the relationship of your…

This Sunday, we will be learning about the fruit of faith in a person’s life and about the judgement of God. This is a difficult passage, but an important one as Christians the world over are hailed as hypocrites. Our lives need to reflect the goodness of God as we pursue a deeper, more intimate…

This Sunday, we will be delving into Matthew 7:7-12. As a father of 3, I am more and more amazed that God has made us his children. Children have an incredible amount of needs. Cars, College Tuition, Diapers, Food… I often find myself overwhelmed by the needs of my children, but I love getting to…

In today’s world, the court of public opinion is regularly in session, and everyone get involved whether through news media or social media. Jesus challenges our society from Matthew 7 when he says, “judge not, that you not be judged.” Of course, Jesus is not arguing for anarchy or a disordered society, but instead he…

This Sunday we will wade through the waters of Matthew 6:25-34. Anxiety and stress are pervasive issues in our society. Walk into your local bookstore and there are plenty of self-help books designed to help you manage the stress and anxiety in your life. As Christians, we need to practice the management of stress, but…

This Sunday we will gather and hear Matthew 6:19-24 taught. As one pastor and scholar put it, “This passage is about priorities, and the central priority is God himself.” This text will challenge your priorities and what you value. As Christians, we must value things differently than the world around us, because we are forced…

This week, we will look at the discipline of fasting as Jesus teaches on the topic in Matthew 6. Fasting is practiced by different faiths across the world. Christianity’s purpose is not merely deprivation of food, but to rekindle affections for God. Very often a Christian’s affections for God ebb and flow like the tide….

One of the best parts of the New Year is the tradition of making a resolution. The idea behind the New Year’s resolution is that every person gets a fresh start to make a positive change in their own life. Past failures are wiped clean and anything is possible. The concept of a New Year’s…

This week, we will be studying prayer and some of what Jesus taught on prayer. Prayer is communication with God, but it is not merely taking your laundry list of needs to God and presenting them, instead prayer forms a kingdom heart inside those who are seeking the will of God. Spend some time this…

This week, we will begin exploring what an authentic faith looks like. A hypocrite is someone who says one thing, and lives a different way. The reality is that all men are hypocrites and have untamed hearts. Jesus teaches that what you do with your money and how you view it in your heart says…

Our natural inclination is self-preservation and self-defense, but the Gospel calls us to something different: love for those who hate us. We reinforce in our hearts and minds the self-centered-ness through mental shadow boxing, always reminding ourselves that we are right and important and that others are not. However, the Bible challenges this notion and…

As we look to the new year, we want to look expectantly for God to move and work in our midst. As we do this, we want to spend time praying to God, that his will would be done among us. Let’s endeavor to do what Jesus commanded, and pray for God’s will to be…

This Sunday evening, we will conclude our journey through Isaiah 6:1-9, and we will hear about Isaiah’s commission to tell the nation of Israel about the Gospel. How appropriate, as we celebrate that God became man so that we would hear that same message of Reconciliation and Peace. Our Christmas Eve Service will be held…

The past few Sundays we have been exploring the wealth that is Isaiah chapter 6 and Isaiah’s vision of the throne-room of God. This Sunday, we will examine the solution to the sin of Isaiah. Athanasius, the church father, put the situation this way: “As, then, the creatures whom He had created reasonable, like the…

This Sunday we will examine Isaiah’s response to God’s grandeur, when he cries out, “Woe is me!” Why is Isaiah filled with sorrow? Has God done anything to make Isaiah feel this way? Much like seeing the magnificence of a mountain before you, God’s glory puts you in touch with your smallness and your inferiority….

Divorce is a difficult issues and one that pervades the culture in the United States, both inside and outside of the church. It is also not something is clean cut and simple. There are a variety of opinions and thoughts within Evangelical Christianity. A few weeks ago, Matthew taught on Matthew 5:31-31 and 19:1-12, and…

During December, we will be taking a break from the book of Matthew in order to turn our attention more specifically to the birth of Jesus and his return. We will be looking at the Gospel and the saving work of Christ through the lens of Isaiah 6:1-9. This Sunday, we will delve into understanding…

Christmas is a special season of the year that is full of shopping and food and much more. Here at Harvest, we celebrate the coming of Christ, which is historically called advent. Advent simply means coming. During this season, we look back upon the coming of Christ in the manger, in the incarnation, and we…

This Sunday, we will explore what Jesus has to say about retaliation. This is incredibly relevant to our culture where every person is meant to look after themselves first before considering the needs of others. Come ready to be challenged anew by the Gospel. Sermon Text: Matthew 5:38-42 Songs for Corporate Worship: All Creatures of…

This Sunday, we will see what Jesus has to say about oaths. We often find that we break our promises to ourselves, our children and others, but what does God desire from us in our commitments? Get ready to dive into the riches of God’s mercy towards us. This week, as you prepare, meditate on…

This Sunday, we will explore another touchy subject, that of divorce. The topic of divorce is discussed widely in the Bible (see Malachi 2:14-16 and 1 Corinthians 7:10=16 for example) and Jesus does not avoid the subject. Marriage, as a picture of the Gospel, and as a sanctifying force for followers of Christ is very…

Last Sunday, Drew worked deep into the issue of anger and hatred towards you fellow man. This Sunday, we will hear the next portion of the Sermon on the Mount that deals with Lust and Covetousness. In our culture, we often become easily jealous and it shapes how we treat others and reveals what we…

This Sunday, we will continue be learning about Jesus and how he understood the Old Testament law. Is the law still something that should be important to Christians? Should we be obeying the Old Testament Law? What exactly does it mean that Jesus fulfilled the law? Come ready to tackle these questions and more! Sermon…

This Sunday, we will continue our exploration through the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus challenge to be salt and light is difficult and yet the most freeing of tasks. Sermon Text:Matthew 5:13-16 Songs for Corporate Worship: All Creatures of Our God & King – Norton Hall Band A Mighty Fortress Is Our God – Matt…

This Sunday, Drew will teach on the last 4 of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. What a blessing is the sanctifying work of God on our behalf! Sermon Text:Matthew 5:7-12 Songs for Corporate Worship: Our God Is Strong – 10,000 Fathers feat. David Walker O Fount Of Love – Matt Boswell & Matt Papa Because…

As you prepare for our time together this Sunday, 2 Peter 1:3-11. The Beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 are very similar to Peters list of attributes that Christians should strive towards. Very often, we view these lists as only commands, and not as a process. However, the Beatitudes begin with “Blessed are the poor in spirit…”…